COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 2

Q & A with Doug Shearer

Staff report

Published: Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 9:58 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 10:00 p.m.

Doug Shearer, District 2

Q. Limerock mining. The County Commission has proposed adding language to the comp plan comp plan that could lead to the creation of a limerock mining zone within the county. Proponents say it is needed to help hold down construction costs and create jobs. Opponents say since the original plan was to put it in the Farmland Preservation Area, such a zone would ruin the character of rural Marion County and could harm the water supply. Should Marion County adopt such a designated area? Why or why not? And if you support creating such a zone, where should it be located?

A. I ask the state geologist at the spring meeting last month and he stated mining did little to water quality but it could affect quantities locally. The comp plan has always said mineral should be protected from development so they can be used at the appropriate time. Before more mines are opened we need to find a way to close down some of the suspended mines not being used. I favor putting a limit on the total number of mines open at one time or maybe the total number of acres being mined at once. It is expensive to close and reclaim a mine so many have just suspended operations and they are sitting inactive. These should be mined out first or reclaimed before new mines are opened. We must look at how we control traffic to mines and their hours of operations in the special use permits. In the past the county has failed to enforce the details of their special use permits and this can’t go on. We need to look at places for mining or our denials of other locations will not hold up in court. If you look at Map 6 in the comp plan(commercially valuable minerals), it shows that out north of Hwy 328, out along the Withlacoochee River south of Hwy 200 and down along the Sumter County border between 301 and 475 are very rich sources. These areas are not heavily developed yet and should have 4-laned access in the near future. But the whole process of developing overlays needs to take much more time and involve the whole community to work.

Q. Southwest 95th Street. The County Commission a year ago rejected a commerce park for about 370 acres along I-75 at SW 95th Street. The board, however, has also included an I-75 interchange there in its 25-year road plan. The interchange is planned to only enter and exit west of I-75. Proponents say the interchange is in a natural spot along I-75 between SR 200 and CR 484 and would spur economic development and job creation. Opponents say the interchange would force the county to create an access road from the west and would open up the historic Shady area to commercial development. All indicators say the interchange will be built at some point, so should 95th Street be extended to the east through the Shady community? Why or why not? If you think it does, how far east should it go and should the area be open to development?

A. Many people still think the interchange can be stopped altogether. Improvement to other interchanges for the new commercial parks at the Magna property and the McGinley Property surrounded by Marion Oaks must come first. Many people feel like money for Interstate improvements will come easily from the federal government. But in these economic times and the number repairs to the interstate system especially in bridge repair that is needed, money will tighter and proper choices must be made. If the interchange does come it should only go the west. The Shady area is much to valuable with Greenway, Horse Park and Scenic roads to be cut up with development. The cost (economic, historic, and scenic) of improving the roads in this area would to too great to the community. This area is very important to water recharge of both Ocala and Belleview. Some say access is needed to the Shores but the new Belleview beltway with an Emerald Road improvement would allow the Shores easy access to I-75. Marion County needed to develop where roads already exist and water and sewer are available.

Q. Munroe Regional tax. The County Commission has for more than a year been in discussion with Munroe Regional’s trustees about some kind of proposed tax plan that hospital administrators are still studying. Proponents say public support is necessary to keep what has been judged one of the best healthcare facilities in the country a high-quality healthcare provider. Opponents say the hospital has not made the case for instituting a new, unaffordable tax on a community rocked by recession and high unemployment. Should Munroe Regional be given public support? Why or why not? And if so, how much annually and what form (that is, sales taxes, a property tax, etc) should that assistance be in?

A. This needed to be looked at very carefully. This is a community hospital that takes on all cases. They can’t pick and choose like the private hospitals. If they need some assistance to make up losses due to cases that can’t pay, we needed to find a funding mechanism to help. Until we see what the future will hold with what the federal government has passed I cant see a new tax but we need to find a way to cover the losses due to indigent care. No set annual amount or no set method of funded should be looked yet. The future of health is very cloudy.

Q. Water. The County Commission has made preserving local water supplies a high priority. To demonstrate its commitment to that, the board has identified conserving water as the easiest and most cost effective alternative to maintaining those supplies. The county has also instituted a tiered-rate structure for its Utilities Department customers, sent letters to high-water users and until they were recently eased, enforced strict lawn-watering restrictions. Do you agree conservation is the best way to protect the community’s water? If not, what method would you suggest? And to preserve its water, which of following should the county do? Increase utility rates so that people who use more pay more; mandate water meters for lawn irrigation wells so people pay for watering lawns, which they don’t do now; impose water restrictions on heavy users or issue fines for people who violate water restrictions; nothing.

A. Yes conservation is the best answer. As sewer use increases, gray water use must increase in new developments. Gray water is water from sewer use that has been filtered and treated but is still high in things like nitrates. It is very good for irrigation because it contains nitrates the plants can use so fertilizer is not need. We already have water restriction with fines and they should be enforced. Future building under new codes should use less fertilizer and use more native and Florida friendly plants that require less watering. Monitoring water meters on wells except for very high volume commercial well would not be worth the cost. I do have a water meter on my clinic’s well that was ask for by the county health department. I believe they have read it on 2 or may 3 occasions to see if I need larger drain fields. No one is monitoring my water use.

Trying to police water use is too costly. We must make the demand less so the use per person goes down by encouraging and in cases mandating the use of drought tolerant landscaping and reuse of water when possible. Also new toilets and other water saving devices will help. The new car wash on Pine St is a good example of technology that uses much less water per car cleaning. The use of porous materials in parking lots and putting parking lots to multiple uses can decrease water runoff and evaporation and provide more recharge. The idea of large box stores building out by the road with their parking lot behind them is growing. Offices and smaller stores are then put on the sides of the lot and apartments or condos at the rear of the lot. The same amount of spaces used for 1 store can serve many uses. The demand for materials and land go down and less runoff is created and less retention areas are needed. These all help the water cycle. The more open land we have, the more percolation of rainwater to form ground water and the less evaporation and pollution of the rain water. I am getting a little carried away here but it is important to see the big picture. If we are going to keep increasing our population, we find new ways to rebalance nature. It is a delicate balance, but a necessary one. We can grow but we must also change.

The Rainbow River at one time was one of the most pristine waterways in the world, but just recently it was put on the list of impaired waterways because the nitrate levels are so high and the coliform bacteria counts have caused closing to swimming 5 or 6 times in the last year. This can’t go on. We must make a fertilizer free zone close to the river and probably mandate sewer hook up in the immediate area. But because this needed to save a river we care about, the cost must be not just on the residents around the river and spring. The government must find outside source or see if a majority of citizens want funds used to underwrite the cost. I know I want to see that the almost unlimited visibility in the water come back in my lifetime. Water is so important and so beautiful we must and will preserve it Marion County.

<p>Doug Shearer, District 2</p><p> </p><p>Q. Limerock mining. The County Commission has proposed adding language to the comp plan comp plan that could lead to the creation of a limerock mining zone within the county. Proponents say it is needed to help hold down construction costs and create jobs. Opponents say since the original plan was to put it in the Farmland Preservation Area, such a zone would ruin the character of rural Marion County and could harm the water supply. Should Marion County adopt such a designated area? Why or why not? And if you support creating such a zone, where should it be located?</p><p> </p><p>A. I ask the state geologist at the spring meeting last month and he stated mining did little to water quality but it could affect quantities locally. The comp plan has always said mineral should be protected from development so they can be used at the appropriate time. Before more mines are opened we need to find a way to close down some of the suspended mines not being used. I favor putting a limit on the total number of mines open at one time or maybe the total number of acres being mined at once. It is expensive to close and reclaim a mine so many have just suspended operations and they are sitting inactive. These should be mined out first or reclaimed before new mines are opened. We must look at how we control traffic to mines and their hours of operations in the special use permits. In the past the county has failed to enforce the details of their special use permits and this can't go on. We need to look at places for mining or our denials of other locations will not hold up in court. If you look at Map 6 in the comp plan(commercially valuable minerals), it shows that out north of Hwy 328, out along the Withlacoochee River south of Hwy 200 and down along the Sumter County border between 301 and 475 are very rich sources. These areas are not heavily developed yet and should have 4-laned access in the near future. But the whole process of developing overlays needs to take much more time and involve the whole community to work. </p><p>Q. Southwest 95th Street. The County Commission a year ago rejected a commerce park for about 370 acres along I-75 at SW 95th Street. The board, however, has also included an I-75 interchange there in its 25-year road plan. The interchange is planned to only enter and exit west of I-75. Proponents say the interchange is in a natural spot along I-75 between SR 200 and CR 484 and would spur economic development and job creation. Opponents say the interchange would force the county to create an access road from the west and would open up the historic Shady area to commercial development. All indicators say the interchange will be built at some point, so should 95th Street be extended to the east through the Shady community? Why or why not? If you think it does, how far east should it go and should the area be open to development?</p><p>A. Many people still think the interchange can be stopped altogether. Improvement to other interchanges for the new commercial parks at the Magna property and the McGinley Property surrounded by Marion Oaks must come first. Many people feel like money for Interstate improvements will come easily from the federal government. But in these economic times and the number repairs to the interstate system especially in bridge repair that is needed, money will tighter and proper choices must be made. If the interchange does come it should only go the west. The Shady area is much to valuable with Greenway, Horse Park and Scenic roads to be cut up with development. The cost (economic, historic, and scenic) of improving the roads in this area would to too great to the community. This area is very important to water recharge of both Ocala and Belleview. Some say access is needed to the Shores but the new Belleview beltway with an Emerald Road improvement would allow the Shores easy access to I-75. Marion County needed to develop where roads already exist and water and sewer are available. </p><p>Q. Munroe Regional tax. The County Commission has for more than a year been in discussion with Munroe Regional's trustees about some kind of proposed tax plan that hospital administrators are still studying. Proponents say public support is necessary to keep what has been judged one of the best healthcare facilities in the country a high-quality healthcare provider. Opponents say the hospital has not made the case for instituting a new, unaffordable tax on a community rocked by recession and high unemployment. Should Munroe Regional be given public support? Why or why not? And if so, how much annually and what form (that is, sales taxes, a property tax, etc) should that assistance be in?</p><p>A. This needed to be looked at very carefully. This is a community hospital that takes on all cases. They can't pick and choose like the private hospitals. If they need some assistance to make up losses due to cases that can't pay, we needed to find a funding mechanism to help. Until we see what the future will hold with what the federal government has passed I cant see a new tax but we need to find a way to cover the losses due to indigent care. No set annual amount or no set method of funded should be looked yet. The future of health is very cloudy.</p><p>Q. Water. The County Commission has made preserving local water supplies a high priority. To demonstrate its commitment to that, the board has identified conserving water as the easiest and most cost effective alternative to maintaining those supplies. The county has also instituted a tiered-rate structure for its Utilities Department customers, sent letters to high-water users and until they were recently eased, enforced strict lawn-watering restrictions. Do you agree conservation is the best way to protect the community's water? If not, what method would you suggest? And to preserve its water, which of following should the county do? Increase utility rates so that people who use more pay more; mandate water meters for lawn irrigation wells so people pay for watering lawns, which they don't do now; impose water restrictions on heavy users or issue fines for people who violate water restrictions; nothing.</p><p>A. Yes conservation is the best answer. As sewer use increases, gray water use must increase in new developments. Gray water is water from sewer use that has been filtered and treated but is still high in things like nitrates. It is very good for irrigation because it contains nitrates the plants can use so fertilizer is not need. We already have water restriction with fines and they should be enforced. Future building under new codes should use less fertilizer and use more native and Florida friendly plants that require less watering. Monitoring water meters on wells except for very high volume commercial well would not be worth the cost. I do have a water meter on my clinic's well that was ask for by the county health department. I believe they have read it on 2 or may 3 occasions to see if I need larger drain fields. No one is monitoring my water use. </p><p>Trying to police water use is too costly. We must make the demand less so the use per person goes down by encouraging and in cases mandating the use of drought tolerant landscaping and reuse of water when possible. Also new toilets and other water saving devices will help. The new car wash on Pine St is a good example of technology that uses much less water per car cleaning. The use of porous materials in parking lots and putting parking lots to multiple uses can decrease water runoff and evaporation and provide more recharge. The idea of large box stores building out by the road with their parking lot behind them is growing. Offices and smaller stores are then put on the sides of the lot and apartments or condos at the rear of the lot. The same amount of spaces used for 1 store can serve many uses. The demand for materials and land go down and less runoff is created and less retention areas are needed. These all help the water cycle. The more open land we have, the more percolation of rainwater to form ground water and the less evaporation and pollution of the rain water. I am getting a little carried away here but it is important to see the big picture. If we are going to keep increasing our population, we find new ways to rebalance nature. It is a delicate balance, but a necessary one. We can grow but we must also change.</p><p>The Rainbow River at one time was one of the most pristine waterways in the world, but just recently it was put on the list of impaired waterways because the nitrate levels are so high and the coliform bacteria counts have caused closing to swimming 5 or 6 times in the last year. This can't go on. We must make a fertilizer free zone close to the river and probably mandate sewer hook up in the immediate area. But because this needed to save a river we care about, the cost must be not just on the residents around the river and spring. The government must find outside source or see if a majority of citizens want funds used to underwrite the cost. I know I want to see that the almost unlimited visibility in the water come back in my lifetime. Water is so important and so beautiful we must and will preserve it Marion County.</p>